Making a Will with a charitable legacy: How to ensure your money will be put to good use.
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Many people want their home and personal wealth to go to charity when they pass away but find it difficult to decide which good causes to choose.
One common concern is that their legacy will be used to pay executive salaries rather than being spent directly on advancing the charitable cause itself, though, for instance, carrying out cutting edge research. If that is a worry for you, then you may be interested to know that it is possible to contact a charity before you finalise your Will to discuss how your future gift would be used by them.
Cancer Research UK, for instance, says that a gift of over £15,000 could be used on cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, and would have a profound effect.
Charities will usually be happy to ensure that a prospective legacy will have the maximum impact. Larger organisations often have dedicated individuals who can liaise with potential supporters who want to leave a legacy that, for instance, invests in bold new research ideas, revolutionises clinical care, or supports vital lab work that underpins major discoveries.
Kelly Brooks, who is High Value Legacy Manager at Cancer Research UK, says:
“At Cancer Research UK, we view supporters who choose to leave us a transformational legacy gift as Visionaries; those incredible individuals who are thinking about or planning the future with imagination or wisdom and trusting us to deliver that for them. Our Visionary supporters engage with us in a range of ways during their lifetime, working as partners to understand the impact of their gift now, whilst also leaving a legacy to help beat cancer for future generations.”
Charities are very proactive in helping their supporters access trusted legal guidance and support. A huge part of this is ensuring that potential benefactors have access to affordable Will writing services in their local area, working in partnership with legal firms that are committed to providing friendly, approachable, and affordable legal services.
Slee Blackwell Solicitors are one of those firms that have a strong relationship with the charitable sector. Our Wills specialists work closely with charitable organisations, large and small, national and local, and have received some amazing comments, including this one from The Alzheimer’s Society:
“Your firm has an excellent reputation and local presence … we have received excellent feedback on your services from our supporters who have worked with you.”
We are also affiliated with the National Free Wills Network, an organisation that brings together 267 charities. Some are household names, while others have a strong regional or local focus. The purpose of the NFWN is to offer free Will writing services to the charities’ known supporters. Current figures show that the Network has generated 68,882 charitable legacies, with a colossal £730 million being raised in future income for member charities.
So, if you are interested in leaving a legacy to a good cause but want to feel assured that the money will be put to good use, then we would recommend that you get in touch with your chosen charity now to discuss how your money will be used.
